


Old Love?

by Pongo0614



Series: Changes [3]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-15
Updated: 2018-10-15
Packaged: 2019-07-29 01:15:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,030
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16253645
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pongo0614/pseuds/Pongo0614
Summary: Gorlois is now 8, Clarine 7. The first trip they go on as a family is to King Olaf's kingdom, Powys on the border of Merica and Caerleon. Why is the Lady Vivian so … in love with Arthur? One shot. Story 3 of Changes.





	Old Love?

**Author's Note:**

> Another quick one shot and posing a question that was never really answered in the series. This didn't actually take me too long to rewrite. Maybe my writing did get better or I am just getting lazy.  
> This is the third instalment in this series. You might want to at least read Consequence of Love (I know it is long but it is the backstory to this series) before reading this one. Gambling can wait until afterwards if you think this might be more your thing.  
> Don't ask where this idea came from. It was three years ago that I posted this story. You are at least getting these stories in order.
> 
> The children's ages  
> Gorlois – 8  
> Clarine – 7  
> Gareth – 5  
> Lynette – 2  
> Amhar – 2  
> Maldue – 8 months  
> Isobel – 8 months

**Old Love?**

Gwen knew that the rocking sensation of the carriage wasn't helping as she watched Morgana struggled to keep her eyes open. It had been a hard eight months for her and Merlin and she couldn't blame them for not wanting to come on this expedition. It was a long ride.

"Sleep Morgana. You are exhausted. How can you look after them if you are just going to make yourself sick?"

She could tell that she wanted to argue but even her body was telling her not too. She always knew that Morgana's stubbornness would be the death of her.

"I'm sure a few minutes wouldn't hurt," Morgana said.

Gwen smiled as Morgana placed her son in the makeshift crib in the carriage and placed her head against the wood, closing her eyes. After she was sure that Morgana was asleep, Gwen turned her attention to the girl in her arms. Gwen knew that twins were rare and it was even rarer for them both to be born alive and well. But here they both were.

Maldue and Isobel.

The birth was long and took its toll on Morgana, who was not only exhausted but had lost a lot of blood. As her children were gaining strength, Morgana was losing hers and Gwen could remember how Merlin kept asking Gaius to do anything he could to help her and stayed with her most of the time. Gwen could never remember Morgana looking as pale as she was.

But she always knew that Morgana would come bouncing back. She just always did. She had then watched as Merlin and Morgana wearing themselves out as they struggled to look after them, refusing help. They argued that they raised their other children on their own with little help, they could raise their twins. Arthur and herself had to intervene and basically order them to accept help. Merlin kept falling asleep during council meetings and Morgana hadn't fully recovered from the birth and was starting to make herself sick again.

Gwen looked out of the window towards the trees. They were on their way to Powys, Olaf's kingdom. It was one of the only places that they hadn't been and it had been a long time coming. She bounced Isobel as she began to wake up, wondering how much longer they were going to be.

* * *

Arthur looked back to make sure everyone was keeping up. It was Gorlois, Clarine and Gareth's first long-haul ride. They had usually been banished to the carriage with Gwen and Morgana taking turns in entertaining them. Yet they had all thought it was time for Gorlois to be allowed to ride. He was eight and the space in the carriage was becoming smaller and smaller due to the number of children.

It just so happened that Clarine demanded that she should be allowed as well. Her argument was that she was a better rider than Gorlois, which led to them bickering about who was the better rider. With Clarine only being eight months younger than Gorlois, Arthur saw no reason why she couldn't. She also only had to flutter her eyelashes at him and he felt like he should give his little princess anything she wanted, much to Gwen's disgust.

Which lead to Gareth also putting forward an argument to why he should ride as well. His was that he was the future king and it was about time he should start acting like one. He had managed to win Gwen around to the idea that he was right and that he was going to be six in a month's time, which was the first time Arthur had his first long-haul ride.

He smiled as he watched them all trotting along, talking and laughing with each other. This was the big family he had always hoped for.

Amhar struggled in his arms.

"Why can't I ride?" He asked as he looked up to his father.

"For the same reason as Lynette, you are too young. You haven't even ridden yet, not even a training horse. It isn't as fun as it looks. But for the moment be thankful that you are riding with me. This is the closest you are going to get for now."

Arthur would have given in to him as well. He had been told on a number of different occasions that Amhar was the split of him when he was a child.

"Why can't I be with Mummy and Gana?"

"Because Aunty Morgana is very tired and your mother is hoping that she can get her to sleep. She can't do that if you and your cousins are in there now, can she?"

"'pose not," Amhar said sadly.

Amhar had always loved his Gana. Morgana hated his nickname for her but Arthur knew that she only liked it when he called her it and wouldn't let anybody else call her it except for him. He turned his attention to the laughs to his right. Lynette was in hysterics at the faces that Merlin was pulling.

"And you call me a dollop-head. What are you doing?"

Merlin turned and smiled widely at Arthur. "I am trying to keep my daughter entertained."

"You better be careful the wind doesn't change direction. And could you also try and do it quietly."

Merlin paused for a moment. "Do you think that Vivian will still be in love with you?"

"I hope not," Arthur replied quickly. "It has been a while so I hope they have found her true love."

Merlin smiled and turned his attention back to Lynette.

* * *

"My, my, look at the man you have grown to be." Olaf said as he walked down the steps to meet Arthur. "I would almost give my daughter to you."

Arthur smiled. "Only almost. Luckily for you, I am already married. I think after last time as well, I know I would have very high expectations to meet."

"Quite the fleet you have there."

Arthur turned to see what Olaf was looking at. Morgana and Merlin must have been in some silent argument as Morgana was glaring at Merlin while his eyes were wide with shock. While this was going on, Lynette was holding on to her father's leg while Amhar had taken to holding onto Morgana's skirt.

Gwen was holding both the twins while trying to stand between Gareth and Clarine to try and stop them from fighting.

Arthur sighed. "Yes, we have. Not all mine. The twins happen to be Merlin and Morgana's."

A few moments later, and after Arthur's help, they all stood in front of Olaf to greet him properly.

"Sorry about them. I know they are an embarrassment, especially Clarine. She should know better." Gorlois said, deserving the smack around the head he got from his mother and the punch in the arm from Clarine.

Olaf was about to welcome them properly when the doors opened and Vivian came through them, running down the stairs.

"My love has come back to me."

The guards managed to catch her before she threw herself at Arthur. He groaned. This trip was going to be longer than expected.

* * *

"Why did that woman try and kiss Uncle Arthur?" Gorlois asked once they had finished unpacking.

"Now that's a story," Morgana said, smiling widely at the memory.

"No, it isn't."

Morgana turned to Gwen. "Oh please. You cannot say that you can look back on it now and laugh."

"No I can't," Gwen said dismissively.

"Will you tell it to us, Aunty Morgana?" Clarine said.

Morgana's smile dropped slightly as she watched Gwen try and busy herself.

"Of course," Morgana said turning her attention to the children. "Uther had gathered a number of kingdoms to pledge an alliance between them all. Yet there was one, Alined, who wanted war. The peace talks weren't going to give him that. That's when he planned to enchant Arthur."

* * *

Arthur ran his hand down his face. "What do you mean that there is a possibility that the spell is never going to be broken?"

"Come on Arthur. You must be protective of your little girl."

"Yes, I am," Arthur said. "But that's not the point. I want to know why her true love will never be found."

Olaf swallowed. "I was desperate and desperate times call for desperate measures. She had fallen for a commoner who had found refuge with the druids. He had stayed behind after they had moved on. They became very close. At that point, we were fighting Esstir. You had just had your 16th name day. It was a losing war and I thought it was best if he was disposed of."

Arthur stood there with his mouth open before he closed it and pinched the bridge of his nose. "You sent the one thing that would break this spell to a losing war. You signed his death certificate."

"I didn't realise that she may need him to break a spell did I?" Olaf said. "No one survived."

Arthur sighed.

"Sire, may I make a suggestion?" Merlin said.

Arthur waved his court warlock on.

"What did Vivian's suitor look like?"

"That is not a suggestion." Arthur almost shouted.

"I can't really remember him. I think he was quite big built. If anything I would have said he was a similar build to me. Very tall." Olaf said, ignoring Arthur.

"Where is this going Merlin?" Arthur said, impatiently.

"Well it is good I am the observant one. Out of all the knights, which one do we know the least about?" Merlin said.

"Percival. I never wished to ask."

"Out of all the knight, whose talent can we not really pinpoint?"

"Percival. Merlin, I do hope this is going somewhere." Arthur said.

"Who is the only knight that isn't here when you asked for them all to be present?"

Arthur turned to where his knights stood. "Percival," He said slowly.

"My love has come back for me." Merlin quoted. "What if that was the last thing that he promised her? He wasn't there when Olaf came. We hid that story from everyone. Percival didn't know that statement was for you."

Both Arthur and Olaf looked at each other. Maybe they might be able to sort out this mess after all.

* * *

Only after a month, all the relevant laws had been put into place. Arthur was sure that this trip was easier due to the fact that they could prove that it worked. The laws dealing with magic had been inforced in Camelot for about five years. Long enough to show anyone that they could work. 

But they had one last thing to do before they left.

"I can't believe it," Arthur said for the millionth time since he found out.

"I know you can't, prat. Just stop going on about it." Merlin said, straightening his neckerchief.

"But it is Percival and Vivian."

"I know." 

"And they are getting married."

"Yes, Arthur. And you really need to get use to the idea."

"Ready?" Morgana said as she entered the room.

"I am. The prat will never be." Merlin said, taking his wife in his arms and kissed her.

"But Percival and Vivian. Does no one else see it as the weirdest thing in the world?"

"Arthur, we aren't saying that it wasn't a shock but …" Merlin started.

"Would you still like her to be trying to kiss you and make your wife madder at you than she already is?" Morgana said.

Arthur opened his mouth but then closed it.

"Come on dollop head or we are going to be late." Merlin said before exiting the room with Morgana on his arm.

* * *

"Percival and Vivian."

"Arthur, if you stay that one more time I will make sure you will never speak again," Morgana said.

Arthur looked towards the magic users. Morgana had finally gained her strength fully and the twins had settled down which led her to now share Merlin's horse as a way of removing herself from them.

"But …"

"No buts Arthur. Just give it a rest. It has happened. Percival and Vivian are together and married." Morgana scolded him.

"But Per…" Arthur started before he just moved his mouth like a fish.


End file.
